Syria Watch

Syrian Revolution Digest – Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Assad the Terrorist!

Syrian Revolution Digest – December 5, 2012 

The rise of Jabhat Al-Nusra in Syria is a worrying phenomenon indeed, but their terrorist activities, the real and the mostly imagined, pale in comparison to those currently championed by Assad and his supporters who now seem poised to perpetrate a massacre of alarming proportions using chemical weapons. It’s Assad’s brand of terrorism that gave rise to Jabhat Al-Nusra, and it’s his terrorist activities that plague our lives today. So far, the world has done little to stop Assad. Had the world lived up to its moral obligations towards Syrians last year, we would not be steering into the abyss today. As we plan for the day after with its myriad challenges and strife, let’s not neglect the immense challenges still confronting us today. Assad must be stopped.

Today’s Death Toll: 107 (including 8 women and 6 children)

45 in Damascus and suburbs, 20 in Aleppo, 22 in Idlib, 8 in Daraa, 4 in Raqqa, 3 in Lattakia, 3 in Deir Ezzor, and 2 in Homs

Points of Random Shelling: 188

Clashes:93

Rebels were able to take control of the Aqraba Military Airport   in Damascus and repelled several attempts at storming towns in Eastern Ghoutah (LCC)

 

News

Syria loads chemical weapons into bombs; military awaits Assad’s order The Syrian military is prepared to use chemical weapons against its own people and is awaiting final orders from President Bashar Assad, U.S. officials told NBC News on Wednesday.

Activists Tell Damascus Residents To Prepare For The ‘Zero Hour’

Blackouts, diesel shortages get worse in Damascus

Syrian fighting decimates tourism industry

Report: Armed men kill Moroccan honorary consul in Syrian city of Aleppo

Syria pound fall suggests currency crisis

92 Senators vote to require Pentagon to report on Syria military options The resolution does not explicitly call for the Assad to step down in Syria, a matter of contention when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution on Syria earlier this year. It also explicitly does not authorize the use of military force in Syria. The legislation does say that any U.S. military activity with regard to Syria should be done in conjunction with allies, should not involve U.S. boots on the ground, and should minimize the risk to U.S. forces as well as financial costs to U.S. taxpayers.

Syria’s rebels in new effort to unite ranks Final deals over the new structure were still being hammered out late on Wednesday at a secret meeting in Turkey which brought together a diverse array of rebel units long plagued by deep divisions and bitter rivalries that defy coordination.

Syria conflict threatens U.N. troops on Golan ceasefire line The U.N. force deployed after the 1973 Middle East war, in which Syria failed to recapture the Golan Heights taken by Israel seven years before and later annexed by the Jewish state in a move never recognized internationally.

Russia, Turkey discuss new ideas on Syria: Kremlin Putin and Erdogan agreed to differ on Syria at Monday’s talks in Istanbul but Russia has distanced itself from President Bashar al-Assad and tried to position itself for his potential exit from power.

Syria’s Civil War Spills Into Lebanon Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in Syria’s civil war battled Wednesday in the streets of the Lebanese city of Tripoli. The fighting has killed six people and wounded nearly 60 since Monday, security officials said.

 

Special Reports

Chemical red lines on Syria
Although CBW’s lethality and indiscriminate nature gives rise to terrorism concerns, the United States should distance itself from self-interested interventions reminiscent of the Bush doctrine. Instead, any red lines in the Syrian sand should be drawn in accordance with 21st century notions of international responsibilities to protect.

Are Americans ready to deal with Syria’s chemical weapons?
On Monday, Obama strongly warned Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad not to use chemical weapons as rebels advance on Damascus. What is the national interest in threatening US action? Obama must sort out the moral purpose.

Chemical weapons in Syria: What can Latin America do about it?
Some Latin American nations voted against a UN resolution condemning violence in Syria this year. But the region can still send a message that the use of chemical weapons will end their support.

Syria’s ‘Operation Fairy Tale’: Reading in War Zones and Other Initiatives
Some might say this is the last thing Syrians need now; that what they need are basic necessities like water, food and a safe home. But any diversion from an ugly and harsh reality — if only for a few minutes — could do wonders.

Nine days in Syria: “I wanted to give with my hands,” Lahey Clinic doctor says
Acash left on Thanksgiving for Idlib, in northwest Syria on the Turkish border, where thousands of refugees have gathered in tents and a school building has been transformed into a field hospital. Volunteers there ring the school’s bell to summon doctors when a new wave of injured people arrive, some from cities and towns nearly 150 miles away.

Rape is shredding Syria’s social fabric
In an attempt to not lose a single story that could be used as possible evidence for future war crimes trials, we are documenting reports of sexualized violence on a live, crowd-sourced map on Syria. We know, however, that evidence of crimes is being destroyed every day: More than 20% of the women in our reports are found dead or are killed after rape.

Jihadists make their presence felt in Syria’s Aleppo
Their ferocity and fighting skills have made the jihadist “Al-Nusra Front the dominant force in Aleppo now,” eclipsing the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Liwa al-Tawhid, once the strongest brigade in the city, said another, Mustafa. Islamist militants are known not only for their discretion, but also for their selflessness in combat, prompting protesters on Friday to urge the FSA to man the front lines instead of staying in commandeered quarters.

U.S. might name Syrian rebel Nusra Front a foreign terrorist group
Nusra first made its mark by claiming responsibility for a series of car and suicide bombings in Damascus that killed dozens last January and that U.S. officials later said bore the mark of the group al Qaida in Iraq. Since then, Nusra has become essential to the rebels’ battlefield operations.

Syria after Assad: Heading toward a Hard Fall?
Rather than ending Syria’s civil war, the regime’s fall might herald a new, more dangerous phase, and the United States should prepare accordingly.

The New Normal on the Turkish-Syrian Border
Ankara does not want the conflict to escalate, but it cannot live with the civil war in Syria and the continued cross-border shelling it breeds, accidental or not.

How Would Assad Use Chemical Weapons?
Amid new chemical weapons activity in Syria, Washington must prepare for the practical implications of acting on its warnings.

Syria: first state with WMDs to topple? (+video)
Never before has a country with Weapons of Mass Destruction been on the verge of collapse, says an arms control expert who argues for regional coordination to prevent a catastrophe.

War Drives Businesses of Aleppo Into Exile
Only a half-decade after Iraqi businessmen fled civil war in their country, a second exodus is depleting another stronghold of Mesopotamian enterprise. Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and a key hub on the old Silk Road, is the country’s industrial and commercial turbine.

The Syrian Sarin Threat
Whatever the regime’s real intentions with regards to its chemical weapons, the next chapter in Syria will be an ugly one, and before it is all over, many people are going to die—from bullets and bombs if not from sarin gas. Thanks to the boy-who-cried-wolf legacy of the Iraq invasion and the W.M.D.-that-weren’t, it is not surprising that the alleged Syrian chemical weapons threat has thus far failed to cause panic in international circles. This could prove to be an unfortunate historical lesson, for, as things stand, there is no guarantee that they won’t be deployed. And if they are used, Syria’s conflict will become a threshold conflict in more ways than one.

Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

 

Video Highlights

The pounding of Eastern Ghoutah, Damascus with MiGs continues: Douma http://youtu.be/Xw1IP8bK6sY ,http://youtu.be/1O1iPtLrZYY , http://youtu.be/LLehie30b7Y

Rebels lay siege to the Mayadeen Military Airport in Deir Ezzor http://youtu.be/EOTfIs56WLY ,http://youtu.be/336vFkQTrW0 , http://youtu.be/h_ONu1_6Lk4

Scenes from the havoc in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/5RkcN26xxak , http://youtu.be/yVT7fQTaydU ,http://youtu.be/Va4VZBuUMzo

Scenes from the clashes in Al-Jabal Al-Wistani in Idlib http://youtu.be/Xz_sTKeGytc , http://youtu.be/boB-VpejpNY ,http://youtu.be/sTYtP-UPapY , http://youtu.be/NmDtLDvk7NM

Syrian Revolution Digest: Tuesday 4 December 2012

Patriots for Turkey! Disdain for Rebels!

Syrian Revolution Digest – December 4, 2012 

Wariness over providing support to rebel groups is legitimate and understandable, but it is becoming increasingly untenable. At one point the U.S. will have to secure Syria’s WMDs stockpiles. Without rebel cooperation, the task, which is already daunting, would become impossible. The U.S. needs to cultivate goodwill among rebel groups in Syria, and for this, it needs to begin providing them with the support they need in their battle to reclaim the country from the psychopaths in charge.

 Today’s Death Toll: 184  (including 1 woman and 33 children)

110 in Damascus and suburbs (including 40 in Bahdalieh and 30 students martyred when regime forces shelled a school in the Wafideen camp), 21 in Aleppo, 17 in Homs, 12 in Daraa, 10 in Deir Ezzor, 8 in Idlib, 5 in Hama, and 1 from Tartous killed in Idlib.

Points of Random Shelling: 245

Clashes: 143

Rebels blocked several attempts at storming   different towns in Eastern Ghoutah Region in Damascus and shelled the Military Airport of Deir Ezzor (LCC).

 

News

Syria crisis: Nato approves Patriots for Turkey

NATO warns Syria not to use chemical weapons

Syria Says 29 Students Killed in Mortar Attack

CNN: Looking at Syria’s chemical weapons

 

Special Reports

Brian Whitaker: Six pointers to Assad’s fall
Each day’s news brings more reasons to believe the Assad regime’s fall cannot be far away. Viewed individually these signs may not in themselves spell doom for the regime but collectively they do: 1) Withdrawal of UN and diplomatic personnel, 2) Jihad Makdissi flees, 3) Damascus airport [closed], 4) Internet shutdown, 5) US reviewing its options, and 6) Chemical weapons.

Are Syria’s rebels about to win?
Syrian rebels have made significant gains in recent weeks as support for Assad shows signs of fraying.

Is Russia About To Ditch Syria? The Truth Is That It May Not Matter
…if you’re going to go the humanitarian intervention route you can’t have “overthrow Assad” as the stopping point. In fact, overthrowing Assad has to be the beginning of a very lengthy process of political reconciliation in an extraordinarily tense and dangerous environment.

In Damascus, Bracing For The Worst
For many months, Damascus was spared the worst of the fighting. But amid the increasing battles in and around the city, almost every Damascene household seems to be doubling or tripling up with extended family.

The Confessions of a Sniper: A Rebel Gunman in Aleppo and His Conscience
Like many men on the front line, the Sniper has found solace in religion, but his is a politicized form of Islam. He speaks admirably of the extremist Jabhat al-Nusra group that has been responsible for some of the most spectacular suicide bombings against regime targets. “They are clean and doing good work,” he says. He wants to join them, if he can “cleanse” his body and mind, he says pointing to a red pack of Gauloises cigarettes. A day later, he quit smoking.

Syrian refugees face brutal winter with inadequate shelter and food
The Syrians who walked 18 hours to seek refuge in Lebanon have escaped the fear of government attack. But with the brutal winter closing in, some would rather go back home to warfare.

As fighting subsides, Aleppo residents find little left
Skyrocketing food prices and shortages mean some Syrian children are eating only one small meal a day, if that. Residents in one Aleppo neighborhood have taken matters into their own hands, collecting money to buy food for the neediest — but it’s never enough.

As Syria Unravels, Russia Tries to Bolster Future Position
Inside Syria, Russian envoys are meeting opposition politicians. Two weeks from now, Russia will support a meeting in Italy of what it hopes will be a pro-Russian group: the National Coordinating Committee for Democratic Change.

How Would Assad Use Chemical Weapons?
Upholding the U.S. declaration requires readiness to commit armed forces to eliminating Syria’s CW capability and punishing the regime and its forces for using them. It means having military assets earmarked or in place to act quickly with overwhelming force, and to deal with the post-attack environment. It does not mean relying on diplomacy as the sole or even main response. Failure to respond with force to any use of chemical weapons would be dire. The regime would see it as a signal to conduct more attacks, and the opposition would see it as a complete abandonment.

Condoleezza Rice: We’ve Waited ‘Very Late’ to Intervene in Syria
The former secretary of state, speaking at the Women in the World Summit, addresses reports that chemical weapons are being readied by the Syrian government.

Syrian rebels riding momentum to Damascus
The fighting follows a number of gains for opposition forces in the north of Syria, which has sparked optimism among Syrians hoping for the downfall of the Assad regime.

‘Sun setting’ on US chance to shape Syria’s transition
Pro-democracy activists are concerned that US and Western reticence is inadvertently handing the initiative to radical Islamist forces which receive considerable financial and military assistance from the Gulf.

Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

 

Video Highlights

Activists in Damascus produce their own video reportage on the siege of Damascus International Airport, getting within a hundred meters of the airport fence. Loyalist troops are nowhere to be seen, choosing to barricade themselves inside the fence. The local rebel commander says that the only reason they decided to target the airport is to cut off the regime supply lines of weapons http://youtu.be/7gQSgXToOL0

In Douma, Damascus, this video, found on the mobile phone of a loyalist soldier, document the last stand of a group of Alawite loyalists before rebels took over their position http://youtu.be/_oivjlNR7zE

A massacre in nearby Diyabiyeh http://youtu.be/ATMyfKU497I

Missile launchers in Mazzeh Airport in Damascus City target Daraya and other restive suburbs to the south of Damascus http://youtu.be/6OsAle_qCQo

Rebels in Damascus showcase some of the missiles that they have gained during their recent operationshttp://youtu.be/mj2oQio0j6k

Rebels showcase a tank they have gained in their operations near Agrab, Homs http://youtu.be/SOfMfGHpk5Y they also say that the random shelling does not discriminate between Sunni and Alawite inhabitants, albeit the shelling does come from nearby Alawite villages http://youtu.be/-cDHH_xPOBY

Rebels move to lay siege to Manag Military Airport, Aleppo Province http://youtu.be/YnpYMiRHLDU

Fears of a chemical attack prompted some activists to make a video on how a makeshift gas mask can be madehttp://youtu.be/B1i_Dues4Q8

Activists in Kafrenbel, Idlib, risk life and limb to document the impact of shelling on their communityhttp://youtu.be/UEb8IoT7_Lo

Syria Deeply Clarifies Media Coverage

By Emily Schneider
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

After 630 days of conflict in Syria and confusion in the media coverage, Syria Deeply, a new media outlet, is  synthesizing information sources following the conflict into one easily accessible and user-friendly site.

Syria Deeply is “an independent digital media project led by journalists and technologists, exploring a new model of storytelling around a global crisis,” according to the site’s “about us” section. The comprehensive coverage of daily events could quickly make the website an indispensible resource for both individuals and other media sites following the Syrian conflict.

The site focuses on taking information from other news sites and social media sites and making it more digestible for the reader. Using a dashboard type interface, it offers users a quick look at the headlines for the day while also providing links to background coverage that gives context to current issues.

The homepage offers readers a chance to explore a multitude of media outlets all in a single place. About 25% of Syria Deeply’s content is original, the other 75% is populated from static material. For instance, the homepage displays links to news stories about Syria that headline that day and Tweets focused on the conflict.

Another area highlights stories from civilians personally experiencing the conflict. In a visually impressive portion of the homepage, an interactive map shows areas of high fatalities and refugees and exactly where trending videos are being filmed. One of the most original features on the site is the “defection tracker” that shows all the Syrian government officials and military members who have defected.

“Our goal is to build a better user experience of the story by adding context to content, using the latest digital tools of the day. Over time the hope is to add greater clarity, deeper understanding, and more sustained engagement to the global conversation,” the Syrian Deeply site says.

Lara Setrakian, the co-founder of the site, is a foreign correspondent who’s covered the Middle East and US foreign policy for the past five years, filing for ABC News, Bloomberg Television, the International Herald Tribune, and Monocle Magazine. In an article posted on Syria Deeply, she explains the reasoning behind the creation of the site.

“It was clear that the Syria story, a crisis unfolding into civil war, had become too complicated for people to understand. Why was it happening? Why was Assad killing his own people? Why was the international response so tame? The user experience of the story was abysmal: a lot of noise and competing narratives, not enough context, history, and background. The global news audience was underserved,” Setrakian says.

Setrakian’s efforts are already creating a buzz and Fast Company has written an article lauding Syria Deeply’s innovative take on reporting the news. But as Setrakian said, Syria Deeply was not created to revolutionize the news industry (although it just might), it was created “for people on both sides of the [Syrian] story: people around the world who want to better understand Syria, and people inside Syria who long to be better understood.”

 

For more information, please see:

Syria Deeply

Fast Company – Syria Deeply Outsmarts the news, Redefines Conflict Coverage – 3 Dec. 2012

Syrian Revolution Digest: Monday 3 December 2012

Chemical Assad!

Syrian Revolution Digest – December 3, 2012 

All those warnings against possible use of chemical weapons by Assad and his militias ring quite hollow. In reality, Assad can do much evil before he has to worry about consequences. Putting together a force of 75,000 will not be done overnight, and Assad might just decide to go down a hero to his supporters, falling victim to his own lies about resistance and dragging the country along with him for a nightmarish descent into Hell.

Today’s Death Toll: 239 (including 10 children and 8 women)

116 in Damascus and suburbs (including 40 in Zayabieh Massacre), 41 in Aleppo, 18 in Daraa (including 10 in Tafas), 17 martyr in Hama, 13 in Idlib, 12 in Homs, 10 in Hassakeh, 10 in Deir Ezzor, and 2 in Lattakia.

Points of Random Shelling: 291

Clashes: 157

Clashes around Damascus continue. Rebels downed a MiG over Eastern Ghoutah, between Dmair and Ruhaibeh, and shelled the Military Airport in Deir Ezzor. Rebels also stomred the town of Mansourah in Raqqah province, and destroyed several military vehicles belonging to loyalist militias (LCC).

Citing security concerns, EgyptAir flight to Damascus returned without landing on Monday.

 

News

Exclusive: U.S. Sees Syria Prepping Chemical Weapons for Possible Attack

Barack Obama warns Syria of chemical weapons ‘consequences’

Official: Syria Moving Chemical Weapons Components

Clinton Warns Syria Against Using Chemical Weapons

Syria denies plans to use chemical weapons

Turkey cites Syria chemical weapon concern

Putin in Turkey as Syria rules out chemical attacks

Israel Asked Jordan for Approval to Bomb Syrian WMD Sites

Bashar al-Assad’s regime could fall ‘anytime’: Arab League chief

UN to withdraw non-essential staff from Syria

Russia, Turkey agree to differ over Syria conflict

Syria’s opposition warns of a rise in extremists

U.S. Steps Up Aid (But No Arms) To Syrian Exiles

Assad Suffering Reversals in Fighting and Diplomacy A senior Turkish official said that Russia had agreed on Monday to a new diplomatic approach that would seek ways to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to relinquish power, a possible weakening in Russia’s steadfast support for the government.

 

Special Reports

Rebel gains in Syria embolden Lebanese Sunnis
Sunnis in Lebanon are growing more outspoken about the most powerful faction in their country, the Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Syria rebels exploit rivals’ successes
…some rebel groups are misusing video to make themselves appear more active and successful than they really are, skewing the distribution of resources, and making it harder for outsiders to accurately evaluate the forces on the ground. The stories also underscore the fragmentation of the armed opposition as a newly formed coalition of Syrian opposition groups struggles to establish authority over a rebellion which is unfolding faster than the speed of diplomacy.

Exclusive: Jolie backs UK moves to tackle warzone rape
Exclusive: The British government is sending a team of experts to Syria to gather evidence on warzone rape – a move backed by UN special envoy and actress Angelina Jolie.

Jihadists answer the call in Syria
Radical clerics exhort jihadists in Syria to help depose dictator President Bashar Assad. Many in Lebanon say they joined the fight because of family or tribal affiliations.

Max Boot: On Drawing the Line at Chemical Weapons
I am not objecting to the tough stance the administration is taking on chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime. I just wish its outrage–combined with the willingness to act–extended to all the other horrifying and reprehensible things that Bashar Assad is doing.

Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

 

Launch of Syria Deeply

 Lara Setrakian: Why I Built Syria Deeply
It was clear that the Syria story, a crisis unfolding into civil war, had become too complicated for people to understand. Why was it happening? Why was Assad killing his own people? Why was the international response so tame? The user experience of the story was abysmal: a lot of noise and competing narratives, not enough context, history, and background. The global news audience was underserved.

Lara Setrakian: Saving the Syria Story, With Technology at Our Side
I love what I do in journalism, covering the world on radio and television. But when I look at the system as a whole, how all of the networks and newspapers cover foreign news for an American audience, I know we can do much, much better. We are failing the Syria story and complex issues like it.

Syria Deeply Outsmarts The News, Redefines Conflict Coverage
As conflict rages in Syria, the news industry is in crisis, too. Lara Setrakian’s Syria Deeply is re-imagining the business of storytelling.

 

Video Highlights

Random shelling claims the lives of several children in the village of Armanaya, Idlib Provincehttp://youtu.be/wHOWuyBRrI0 More dead in Al-Barrah http://youtu.be/UdFD5GdlFA0 In Kafrenbel, rebels come under shelling as they try to transport the body of a fallen comrade http://youtu.be/2f2rhyL4sms ,http://youtu.be/VVCksXeXLPg

Locals pull the dead and wounded from under the rubble following an aerial raid on the town of the Kurdish-Majority ofRas Al-Ain along the Turkish borders. Rebels from Jabhat Al-Nusra have taken control over parts of the town in recent weeks http://youtu.be/E5hPNN0PzQg , http://youtu.be/8JcCqcZ7uKs , http://youtu.be/_09Ns6YuJ30

This video shows clearly missiles being launched from the Damascus Military Airport targeting rebel groups advancing towards the capital http://youtu.be/qMbADxly28M

Impact of shelling by missiles on Eastern Ghoutah: Hamouriyeh http://youtu.be/TDlGaOaKBHs Zamalkahttp://youtu.be/FOXVfsfYRhc , http://youtu.be/FzT1nS1Dotc Misraba http://youtu.be/kkfqlhePq8o Babbilahttp://youtu.be/dJTYLpBR8qM

Some of today’s martyrs in Damascus: Misraba http://youtu.be/BVDyLnMZouw Mleihahhttp://youtu.be/cbwEwYZUWTw An unexplained bomb shell in Harran Al-Awameed http://youtu.be/-NN3FOnon5A

MiGs took part in the pounding as well: Madyarah http://youtu.be/hUQeRGQQ_a0 Hamouriyehhttp://youtu.be/pH5tJsJuzBw Kafar Batna http://youtu.be/Mrzk1VmmUOY Saqba http://youtu.be/2pqBply8Rik ,http://youtu.be/rBiGtNvlvB0 Yalda http://youtu.be/D2lzkvxVjwE

A failed attempt to storm the town of Daraya by pro-Assad militias left plenty of loyalist deadhttp://youtu.be/LlzRolQ40jY

For all the missiles and MiGs, rebels have taken control of the town of Agraba along the Airport Highwayhttp://youtu.be/C1dj2s6GUTg

Random shelling claims the lives of many in Handarat, Aleppo http://youtu.be/fRLm3Zdub4M In Sfeirah, locals find the bodies of 5 comrades who were executed http://youtu.be/ALmhuaopFow

Clashes in Houleh, Homs Province, continue http://youtu.be/PC08qDMfUXE , http://youtu.be/N58dcq5QKBU Locals leave the city http://youtu.be/v2fIsnOU16g

The city of Deir Ezzor comes under heavy shelling at night http://youtu.be/H9vDB9O9PKE

Arab, Kurds and Turkmen rebels come together to form a new battalion, named after Yussouf Al-Azmeh, the Syrian Defense Minister who died in battles against French invasion in 1920 http://youtu.be/XMHeUDFIsiw

Syrian Revolution Digest – Monday 26 November 2012

Who Speaks for Rayaan?

Syrian Revolution Digest – November 26, 2012 

Pro-Assad militias describe their operations against the rebels in Damascus, Homs and elsewhere as “clearing slums,” but considering that millions of people have been displaced as a result of these operations, the overwhelming majority of whom are Sunnis, the development is nothing less than a massive ethnic cleansing effort. Since, for now, an Alawite enclave along the coast has already been secured, except for regions in north Lattakia, the current drive seems aimed simply at disrupting rebel activities, irrespective of long-term impact. The slums have for decades provided shelter to immigrant families from rural areas searching for jobs and advancement opportunities and emigrant middle class families from the inner cities driven out by inflationary pressures. By pushing them out, the “clearing” operations have produced a major humanitarian disaster. But, judging by increased rebel activities in these areas, the operations have proven a total failure in terms of military strategy. Still, the madness continues, coupled with opposition irrelevance and international indifference. So, who speaks for Aisha and Rayaan? Who speaks for the thousands of children that have been killed in this conflict?

Today’s Death Toll: 168 (including 6 women and 5 children)
90 in Damascus and suburbs (including 28 who died under torture in Daraya and 6 in Dahadeel)
35 in Aleppo
11 in Hama
10 in Homs
8 in Daraa
7 in Idlib
4 in Quneitra
2 in Deir Ezzor
1 in Raqqah

Points of Random Shelling: 248
75 by mortar
140 by artillery
33 by missile
10 by warplanes (including three uses of barrel bombs)
2 uses of cluster bombs

Clashes: 140
Rebels liberated a police station at the Jordanian-Syrian border, attacked checkpoints in Quneitra, and repelled multiple regime attempts to storm Daraya and the cities and towns of Eastern Ghoutah in Damascus (LCC).

 

News

Strike from Syrian plane reported near border with Turkey

As battle raged in Syria, Russia sent tons of cash to Damascus, flight records show

Medvedev: Support of Syria Rebels ‘Unacceptable’

Syrian rebels claim dam seized; looting plagues Aleppo

Rebels Claim They Seized Air Bases and a Dam in Syria

NATO to Decide on Turkey Missile Defense

Syria rebels close Aleppo ring as France finances opposition

Syria opposition names London ‘ambassador’ Originally from the central city of Homs, the 62-year-old former teacher set up the SCHR in 1986 and was imprisoned several times, before moving to London, where he represented the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

 

Special Reports

Assad’s Troops Wipe Out a Playground Full of Children in Syria
The United States has kept its hands in its pockets so far, in part because our diplomats say that the Syrian rebels have long been too fragmented and disorganized for any hope of real cooperation. Will a playground full of dead children sway the State Department to take a more assertive stance? Probably not.

Fighting to Hold Damascus, Syria Flattens Rebel ‘Slums’
For the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the stakes in Damascus are nothing short of retaining control of the nation itself. “If they lose Damascus, they lose the state,” says Patrick Seale, a British author and Syria expert. Senior security officials within the Assad regime say partial demolitions of pro-rebel neighborhoods in and around Damascus are a key element of an ambitious counterinsurgency plan now unfolding. The plan also involves the expansion of regime-funded militias known as “Popular Committees” within the capital.

Syria crisis: Kidnappings compound conflict fears
As the conflict between the Syrian government and opposition fighters continues, kidnapping has become a source of much needed money in a struggling economy, the BBC’s Lina Sinjab in Damascus reports.

As Kurds Fight for Freedom in Syria, Fears Rise in Turkey of Following Suit
Just 25 miles from Aleppo, which has been pounded into dust by Bashar al-Assad’s air force, the Syrian town of Afrin is a picture of domestic tranquility. But that’s because it’s being run by a relatively unknown player in Syria’s civil war: Syrian Kurds.

Syria rebel officers plan post-Assad army
Syrian rebel officers have formed a commission to lay the foundations for a future army and liaise with the political opposition on issues such as arming fighters on the ground, a spokesman said on Monday.

In One Corner Of Syria, A Rebel Victory Results In Friction
When Syrian rebels seized the border post at Ras al-Ayn on Nov. 8, they celebrated the victory and went on to “liberate” the town, a place where both Arabs and Kurds live on Syria’s northeast border with Turkey. But the Kurdish inhabitants quickly saw their “liberation” as a disaster. Within days, dozens were dead in clashes between Kurdish militias and the rebels.

Teen group shows support for Syria
Follow this link to register for FDD’s Washington Forum 2012 “Dictators & Dissidents”

Announcement
The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) invites you to its 2012 Forum to be held on Tuesday, November 27th, at the Newseum’s Knight Conference Center, where Members of Congress, foreign dissidents, and leading policy experts will discuss “The Price of Greatness: The Next Four Years of U.S. Foreign Policy.” (RSVP Here).

N.Y. teen group shows support for Syria
I am glad to be an adviser in this effort.

Students around the country are getting involved in something global and something powerful. With a click of a mouse and a bit of green paint, teenagers across the United States are reaching out, pledging their support and making a difference. Students around the country are becoming … Syria. “I Am Syria is a campaign for the Syrian people, and its purpose is to let them know that we support them and that they are not alone,” said Abby Cordaro, a sophomore at Immaculata Academy. “Its main goal is to spread awareness about the conflict in Syria.”

More on the I Am Syrian Campaign can be found on its dedicated website. Educators will find this page in particular to be of interest and use.

Meanwhile, no one seems in a position to speak for this little girl. Her name was Rayaan. 

 

Video Highlights

Leaked video shows pro-Assad militias abusing the injured after they stormed a field hospital for rebels. The go from one injured to another asking him to tell them where the weapons are hidden threatening to shoot him if he failed to reply http://youtu.be/p3Bex1oMAHA

This leaked video is from Deir Ezzor City shows part of the “sweep” operations conducted by pro-Assad militias in the old market http://youtu.be/FgT7qimaWUk

Scenes from the clashes in Deir Ezzor City http://youtu.be/Y5vRksGWbMs , http://youtu.be/VZbRU70jXb0 ,http://youtu.be/b4lcUJkz7w4

Rebels attack a checkpoint in Ruknaddine Neighborhood, Damascus City http://youtu.be/gMnAVukcGDg Sounds of mortar fire can be heard in the plush Mazzeh Neighborhood http://youtu.be/xxawwjAdDjs ,http://youtu.be/TPGZYMLU25U

The shelling of the town of Zabadani continues http://youtu.be/s8GJ5_I_6E8

The pounding of the town of Rastan, Homs Province, continues http://youtu.be/03cPoBiJ3ns ,http://youtu.be/gKGJvQfFa3Q

Fighter jets keep pounding neighborhoods and towns in Aleppo: Bab El-Hawa http://youtu.be/gr2vQv2qp5Y ,http://youtu.be/36M489AwmYk Dar Azzah http://youtu.be/DSrzhSBUv-M Elsewhere http://youtu.be/7yaE6NQYuQo

Clashes in Old Aleppo http://youtu.be/xTzhAhT85QQ , http://youtu.be/AZVB1jTiYog , http://youtu.be/LSrYLDh77To

A local rebel leader calls on “tent officers,” as defectors based in Antakya are known, to come join him and his comrades in the trenches, “there is more honor and dignity in it for you.” http://youtu.be/3JCAeY46zso